A couple nights ago I went to the movie theater. I may have went just because I wanted some popcorn. And I was bored. I settled on seeing "Trainwreck" even though my desire to see it had dropped considerably.
My initial excitement for the movie was based off thinking it was going to be different, not just "business as usual" for a rom-com. I thought Amy Schumer, whose comedy clips from her show i have really liked, would reinvent the genre - tell a new story from a new point of view.
She didn't. Amy and Aaron like each other, and they decide to start dating even though Amy believes monogamy is crazy. We know this because there is a scene of her dad telling her this at a young age, followed by a montage of her having one-night stands. That doesn't really bother me - if she wants to have sex "like a man" go for it.
What I didn't like was that it took that premise and character set-up and didn't do anything with it. The film was the same-old same-old story and implausible plot lines. Amy just happens to get a phone call from her boss, threatening to be fired if she doesn't respond, right in the middle of Aaron giving a speech for an award he's been given. The two have a fight that keeps them up all night the exact night before he has to do intense, radical surgery on Amare Stoudemire.
I can handle the normal rom-com tropes if they are done well. Or if it's enjoyable (and that's pretty subjective). This was not. It was a trainwreck.
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Sunday, August 2, 2015
The Best Rom-Com
Last night my friend Rachel and I bonded over our love of the greatest rom-com of all time, "While You Were Sleeping." We literally made a date to eat calzones and watch the movie.
And it was fantastic. We quoted. We laughed. We pondered.
Then I decided to explain why I love this movie. Why I claim it is the best rom-com of all time. First, it is funny. I laugh every single time that kid on his bike falls down while throwing a newspaper. I love the dinner scene with the family, because it is so real. I love Joe, Jr. I love the falling-on-the-ice scene.
I love that Jack and Lucy have fun together, that they make each other laugh. I love that they are both "normal" people, meaning they aren't all snazzy and "Hollywood." Lucy wears huge sweaters and unfitting jeans; Jack wears a jean jacket that is reversible. And I love it! Lucy isn't the cliche of "hard, brittle woman who just needs the love of a good man to make her soft." Jack isn't a man-child who can't grow up. They are adults with lives and dreams and work.
For a little while I had a problem that Jack and Lucy fell in love in a week. Then I decided "Who cares!" When you know, you know. Right? They support each other in their dreams and that's awesome.
As I get older, with a life similar to Lucy's (single, cat-owner, transit-lover [that might be a stretch; she works for transit]) I see just how awesome she is.
And it was fantastic. We quoted. We laughed. We pondered.
Then I decided to explain why I love this movie. Why I claim it is the best rom-com of all time. First, it is funny. I laugh every single time that kid on his bike falls down while throwing a newspaper. I love the dinner scene with the family, because it is so real. I love Joe, Jr. I love the falling-on-the-ice scene.
I love that Jack and Lucy have fun together, that they make each other laugh. I love that they are both "normal" people, meaning they aren't all snazzy and "Hollywood." Lucy wears huge sweaters and unfitting jeans; Jack wears a jean jacket that is reversible. And I love it! Lucy isn't the cliche of "hard, brittle woman who just needs the love of a good man to make her soft." Jack isn't a man-child who can't grow up. They are adults with lives and dreams and work.
For a little while I had a problem that Jack and Lucy fell in love in a week. Then I decided "Who cares!" When you know, you know. Right? They support each other in their dreams and that's awesome.
As I get older, with a life similar to Lucy's (single, cat-owner, transit-lover [that might be a stretch; she works for transit]) I see just how awesome she is.
Friday, July 31, 2015
Summer Trip 2015
My trip to Utah and Idaho was pretty fantastic. My days consisted of family, friends, food and not a care in the world.
Sno-cones with the fam on Pioneer Day (which also included a parade and fireworks).
Visiting with my dear friend Holli, whom I met when I was 16 when I started working at Wendy's.
A visit with Pammy.
Ummm, I didn't take a photo....
It was a great time and I'm so glad I have such great family and friends. I'm so glad my trip overlapped with Ivy, Elliett and Mo visiting from Seattle and Josue from California. I try to squeeze in seeing a lot of people, and sometimes it just doesn't work out. Maybe in December I can see more!
Pedicures with my mom for her Mother's Day gift.
Sno-cones with the fam on Pioneer Day (which also included a parade and fireworks).
Family reunion in Idaho with my mom's family.
Visiting with my dear friend Holli, whom I met when I was 16 when I started working at Wendy's.
Bowling with the fam bam.
A visit with Pammy.
Ummm, I didn't take a photo....
Hanging out in downtown SLC.
Dinner with Audrey.
Family pics and a final meal.
It was a great time and I'm so glad I have such great family and friends. I'm so glad my trip overlapped with Ivy, Elliett and Mo visiting from Seattle and Josue from California. I try to squeeze in seeing a lot of people, and sometimes it just doesn't work out. Maybe in December I can see more!
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Post-Vacation Transition
I am back in Denton after being in Utah and Idaho for the past week. I will blog about that trip soon. Right now I am tired and steeling myself for returning to work in the morning.
It's always a weird transition back into regular life after being on vacation. My days the past week consisted of coordinating who I was going to meet up with, where I was going to eat, and how late I could sleep in. I didn't check my work email at all. I just enjoyed being back home.
Now I have to think about grocery shopping, and unpacking, and going back to work. I'm alone (except for Biscuit, of course). It's just a bit jarring for me when I have to make the transition.
Also a tough transition: the heat and humidity here in Texas. No, it's not like it's a brand new thing, but I "adapt" rather quickly to the dry heat of Salt Lake. It actually cools down at night. I can be outside at 8 am and not be covered in moisture. I don't have to worry about my hair going flat. I had to use a lot more lotion and my nose was super dry. But it was worth it.
It's always a weird transition back into regular life after being on vacation. My days the past week consisted of coordinating who I was going to meet up with, where I was going to eat, and how late I could sleep in. I didn't check my work email at all. I just enjoyed being back home.
Now I have to think about grocery shopping, and unpacking, and going back to work. I'm alone (except for Biscuit, of course). It's just a bit jarring for me when I have to make the transition.
Also a tough transition: the heat and humidity here in Texas. No, it's not like it's a brand new thing, but I "adapt" rather quickly to the dry heat of Salt Lake. It actually cools down at night. I can be outside at 8 am and not be covered in moisture. I don't have to worry about my hair going flat. I had to use a lot more lotion and my nose was super dry. But it was worth it.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Double Indemnity
My local Cinemark theater is participating in the TCM screenings of classics on the big screen. So far I've seen The Sound of Music and Jaws. This past Monday it was Double Indemnity, the Billy Wilder film noir classic. It almost wrote the book on film noir and femme fatales.
I was telling my boss about this when he asked me if I had seen any good films lately. He didn't know what a femme fatale was, or really even film noir. And I fear I did a less than adequate job at explaining them. If you want to know, you can look them up on Wikipedia (I sent my boss the links to both those entries).
Or you could just watch Double Indemnity. Barbara Stanwyck is THE femme fatale.
I'll admit that I didn't really know what this film was about before seeing it. Which I guess is sort of nice. It lets me enjoy without lots of expectations.
It definitely deserves the title of "classic". I only with it had won Best Picture (it was nominated but lost to Going My Way starring Bing Crosby) so I could mark it off my list for 35 by 35.
I'm looking forward to the next round of classics to be announced.
I was telling my boss about this when he asked me if I had seen any good films lately. He didn't know what a femme fatale was, or really even film noir. And I fear I did a less than adequate job at explaining them. If you want to know, you can look them up on Wikipedia (I sent my boss the links to both those entries).
Or you could just watch Double Indemnity. Barbara Stanwyck is THE femme fatale.
I'll admit that I didn't really know what this film was about before seeing it. Which I guess is sort of nice. It lets me enjoy without lots of expectations.
It definitely deserves the title of "classic". I only with it had won Best Picture (it was nominated but lost to Going My Way starring Bing Crosby) so I could mark it off my list for 35 by 35.
I'm looking forward to the next round of classics to be announced.
Labels:
movies
Monday, July 20, 2015
Another Weekend in Kansas
I spent a very quick weekend in Kansas. I am so glad that I live close enough that I can visit my friends. It is hard living away from them.
My friend Kate is leaving Kansas for a new job in Bellingham, Washington, and this weekend was a bit of a "last hurrah" with the group of friends there.
I was also able to see Amber before I headed out on Sunday. We laughed and cried and ate hamburgers. She's the best.
I love the people in my life. And they love me. I know this because we actually said those words to each other. "I love you." Those words are important, and I'm glad that I have so many people to say it to and hear it from.
My friend Kate is leaving Kansas for a new job in Bellingham, Washington, and this weekend was a bit of a "last hurrah" with the group of friends there.
Kate, Paige, J. Hall, Rachel, Jess, me, and Janae
I was also able to see Amber before I headed out on Sunday. We laughed and cried and ate hamburgers. She's the best.
I love the people in my life. And they love me. I know this because we actually said those words to each other. "I love you." Those words are important, and I'm glad that I have so many people to say it to and hear it from.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Pluto, This Is Your Moment
Nine years ago, NASA sent a rocket out into space. That rocket finally reached Pluto and has sent back photos of the mass that we used to call a planet (maybe it is a planet again now....or is it a dwarf planet?). The rocket traveled 3 billion miles in 9 years. Nine years!!!
This is amazing. Like for real. The rocket left Cape Canaveral, reached Jupiter in a year, then used the propulsion from Jupiter's gravity to "sling-shot" it's trajectory to Pluto.
Prior to take-off, the New Horizons team worked for ten years to plan the trip!
I thought I was past the time when I was amazed by things going on in space. But I'm not. This is pretty darn amazing.
This is amazing. Like for real. The rocket left Cape Canaveral, reached Jupiter in a year, then used the propulsion from Jupiter's gravity to "sling-shot" it's trajectory to Pluto.
Prior to take-off, the New Horizons team worked for ten years to plan the trip!
I thought I was past the time when I was amazed by things going on in space. But I'm not. This is pretty darn amazing.
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